The question took him by surprise. She had a habit of doing that to him: saying and doing things when he was least ready for them. He pointed this out to her. ‘You don’t mince your words, do you?’ he said.

‘I know,’ she said, lowering her eyes. ‘I’m sorry. It’s probably something to do with never having to apologise for my actions. “Spoilt” – that’s what my father would have called it. That, or just plain “rude”.’

‘It’s all right,’ he said, waving the apology away. He swallowed the mouthful he was eating and went on. ‘It was frightening, at first. I hadn’t always been blind, and I guess, like everyone else, I simply took my ability to see for granted. So when it was taken away from me, I had no idea how I might cope.’ He paused, remembering. ‘Almost a year I spent in the dark. A year of being scared and … alone.’

‘You had Fleya.’

‘I did. And I wouldn’t have been able to get through those times without her. But I missed the visual world so much it hurt. When I was given the chance to see again, I grabbed it. Perhaps a little too hastily.’ He tore a piece of bread from the loaf and spread butter across it. ‘But I don’t regret my decision. And I don’t take the things I see for granted any more. Take this meal, for instance. I look at the things on this plate in a way I never would have before. And that’s just food.’ He grinned and nodded in the direction of the open window. ‘Don’t even start me on the sky.’ A thought occurred to him. ‘I’d never seen the sea until we came here. If I’d not had my sight restored … well, I never would have. Imagine never having the chance to see that fantastic chaos of water – the power and beauty of it.’ He looked across into her eyes and took in her face. For some reason he flushed. ‘I’m sorry, I’m going on a bit.’

‘No. No, you’re not.’

He frowned. ‘It came with a price, getting my sight back. I see and hear strange things now. Things I’d rather not.’

‘Monsters? Like the one that made my brother do those terrible things?’

He nodded.

The sword’s voice, having been silent for some time, caught him by surprise when it gave a long, whispering sigh.

‘What was that?’ Astrid said, looking about her.

‘What?’

‘Nothing. I … I thought I heard something.’

Lann stared at her before eventually standing up and brushing the crumbs from his clothes on to the floor.

‘Come on,’ he said. ‘I think it’s time we found my aunt and checked on the supplies. We have a long ride ahead of us tomorrow.’